Open mind Friday.

Hello Americans, it is Friday, August 21, 2009, and this is not Paul Harvey but never fear, it is your faithful blogger dealing with the overflow of thoughts and ideas that elbow their way in competing for my time and attention. A friend recently told me it was not necessary for him to keep up with what is going on in the world because he only needs to talk with me every few days. I’m not sure that’s a compliment because it may indicate that my time could be put to better use. Do I always have to have a connection to nearly every story? Take for instance the one about former U. S. Representative Tom DeLay, also known as “The Hammer”, becoming a contestant on the upcoming “Dancing with the Stars” television series. Several years ago I did a planning meeting for a Church where Tom DeLay had begun attending their services. The pastor there was elated. He told me that Mr. DeLay could whip out his checkbook and write a big one without any hesitation. Okay, so I am a cynic. I was not in the least bit impressed with him being impressed. Why? Tom DeLay is a politician known for cracking heads and I wondered if any of my tax dollars were represented in those checks he wrote. One of the other things this pastor said caused me to chuckle. He said Mr. DeLay could not believe that more people were not hearing the conservative message being preached there in that small Church. Hello? At any rate, as the election (that he ended up losing) loomed closer Mr. DeLay joined up with a mega Church 100 times the size of the Church where I conducted the planning seminar. I don’t know that there is a moral to this story other than to illustrate how that in one way or another we often find ourselves connected into current events.

These types of situations typically lead to a dreaded promise where I tell people to remind me when I have time to tell them my Tom DeLay story. The other day when the President was in Montana trying to sell his version of healthcare reform our nephew who is a secret service agent was there as part of the security detail. Remind me to tell you my secret service connection story when I have more time. I will plead guilty to what I was accused of years ago, that was the fact that I mostly revealed my ‘Reader’s Digest’ mentality. The criticism was that I knew a little about a whole lot of subjects but not very much about anything in particular. Truth is, there was no way then or now for me to argue that assessment. I might have to quibble some over my understanding of biblical matters but even there, after forty years of study and teaching along with two bouts of seminary training, I haven’t even begun to scratch the surface. Folks, there’s no way I would wish my overwrought but underdeveloped mind on anyone! Yesterday I heard a fellow attribute a popular phrase to Boss Hogg from the Dukes of Hazzard television series. The phrase was “Handle it…Handle it…Handle it”, and it actually was the one spoken by the mayor in the sitcom Carter Country. But you should be proud because even though I knew Boss Hogg was not the one who made that phrase famous, I did not say a word. (I could see the fellow's face but I did end up having to look up the phrase to find the name of the program.) However, remind me to tell you about….. Oh, just forget it!

My wife sometimes asks me how that I know something especially if it seems to be obscure. That, my friend, is not only a good question, but it's also a telling summation of how I have filled up my memory banks with way too much information that has little or no relevance to anything important in life. It's somewhat like the Scottish proverb which is often attributed to the Bible that says: “Open confession is good for the soul.” While this generally reflects on a biblical theme, it is not an actual verse, but there I go again. This leads me to a recommendation for others who may have this preoccupation with information overload. First of all, be aware that what little bit I know is just that, very little. Secondly, what we spend time consuming into the mental facility God has given to us, matters. Lastly, only that which allows us to fully function in a way that pleases God is what we should be focusing on. This is true in our spiritual life, our family life, our working life, and in our day-by- day contact with others. Where’s the balance? That’s obviously one I have not learned to master as of yet but remind me to tell you about how I am going to try and change, that is, when we have more time. Have a great Saturday and don’t forget there is a reason it is called Lord’s Day Sunday! Amen. …..More later.